Australian NBA superstar Ben Simmons goes off with triple-double in Philadelphia 76ers win against Brooklyn Nets

Ben Simmons has tied a career high with 34 points and added 12 rebounds and 12 assists, carrying the Philadelphia 76ers to a 117-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA.

Announced as the Eastern Conference player of the week during Monday’s game, the Australian got a good start on winning the next week’s award, too.

“I mean, Ben Simmons was ridiculously dominant tonight,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said.

A point guard by skill but at 6-foot-10 a big man in size, Simmons played all over the floor for a 76ers team missing All-Star center Joel Embiid. The Nets tried guarding him with big men but that didn’t work - though nothing may have the way he played.

“I just came in with that mindset to win,” Simmons said.

“I know it’s going to be tough every time we play teams like this.”

He shot 12 for 14 from the field in his career-best fifth straight game with 20 or more points, finishing with his fourth triple-double of the season.

Al Horford added 19 points for the 76ers, who won their fourth consecutive game. Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson each scored 15.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points for the Nets, who played without Kyrie Irving because of hamstring tightness and lost their fourth straight. Caris LeVert had 16 points and rookie Nicolas Claxton added a career-best 15.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo also recorded a triple-double, making 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists as the league-leading Bucks cruised to a 111-98 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls.

It was his fourth triple-double of the season. He also reached his 10,000th career point on a jump hook with 4:30 remaining in the fourth. The Bucks have won seven straight.

In Monday’s other completed games, Chris Paul scored 28 points and Danilo Gallinari added 25 as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 15-point fourth- quarter deficit to beat cold-shooting James Harden and the Houston Rockets 112-107, while the Miami Heat improved their NBA-best home record to 19-1 by beating the Sacramento Kings 118-113 in overtime.

The Washington Wizards broke a three-game losing streak with a 106-100 win over the Detroit Pistons, the Toronto Raptors withstood Atlanta’s late charge to beat the Hawks 122-117, and the Orlando Magic withstood a sluggish start and defeated the hosts Charlotte Hornets 106-83.

The New York Knicks used a strong second half to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-86, snapping a three-game losing streak, while Jrue Holiday returned from a seven-game absence and tied a season high with 36 points as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Grizzlies 126-116 in Memphis.

AP